Cheers

Business Shout-outs from Around Western North Carolina

Awards & Recognitions

Land of Sky Regional Council was awarded three Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards for the following projects: Bridging the Digital Divide-A Western North Carolina Digital Inclusion Plan, Livable Appalachia Summit, and Tunnel Road Corridor Study. The awards were given by the National Association of Development Organization, an association that promotes regional development strategies, partnerships, and initiatives that strengthen economic competitiveness and quality of life within local communities across the country. Four of Pardee UNC Health Care’s oncologists were honored by the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program for their commitment to cancer research and the number of patient enrollments in clinical trials. Praveen Vashist, M.D.; John Hill, M.D.; Navin Anthony, D.O.; and Alexander Treemont, D.O. were presented with their awards at the 2022 NCORP National Meeting. Dr. Vashist received a Gold Certificate of Excellence for having between 10 to 39 patients to clinical trials in the past year. Drs. John Hill and Navin Anthony each received Silver Certificates of Excellence for having between five to nine patients in the past year. Dr. Alexander Treemont received an Honorable Mention for having between one to four patients to clinical trials in the past year.

La Strada restaurant in Lake Lure received a Traveler’s Choice award from TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor’s reviewers placed this restaurant in the top 10 percent of restaurants worldwide. La Strada is a family owned and operated Italian restaurant business that has been proudly serving North Carolina for nearly 50 years. TSV Analytics, a social media analytics company based in Hendersonville, has recently been awarded one of the 15 micro-grants from NC Idea Foundation. Recipients were chosen after a three-month competitive application and selection process that drew 135 applications from across the state. NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, is in its ninth NC IDEA MICRO grant cycle. An interdisciplinary team of Western Carolina University faculty, including School of Health Sciences Assistant Professor Sara Duncan, Associate Professor of Geology and Science Education Program Director Frank Forcino and Professor and Experiential and Outdoor Education Program Director Andrew Bobilya in collaboration with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Natural Resources program, Cherokee Central Schools and Swain County High School, received a grant award in the amount of $11,352 from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, a local nonprofit funding agency. Through the grant, local high school students will engage in a project about local water and air quality using Cherokee cultural methods and Western science practices. The project, Our Air: Exploring local air quality through storytelling and community science, is now in its second year.

Asheville’s Original Craft Brewery

Promotions & On The Move

Alexa Whitman was named Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s new Public Policy Specialist. Whitman has recently earned a J.D. from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Previously, she received a BA in Art from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA. In her role as Public Policy Specialist, Whitman will work with VP of Public Policy Zach Wallace to advance advocacy agendas, monitor legislation and build community consensus on public policy issues.

Imani West was welcomed as the Food Distribution Assistance Program Associate of Golden LEAF Foundation. Before joining the Foundation, West was the Administrative Director of The Point Care Center where she was responsible for overseeing the operation of and compliance of four food pantries in the Triangle, working closely with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Prior to her time at The Point Care Center, she held key roles in the Town of Holly Springs Development Services Department and Habitat for Humanity of Wake County as an AmeriCorps service member. The Food Distribution Assistance Program Associate position will support implementation of programs which includes reviewing applications and developing recommendations for awards, monitoring awards, managing compliance, and participating in outreach and engagement efforts for the programs.

Martha Hill Moore, PhD, LCMHC has joined the AdventHealth Medical Group Psychiatry team. Dr. Moore brings her

experience of providing individualized, patient-centered care to the behavioral health and wellness programs offered at AdventHealth Hendersonville. Dr. Moore earned her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Theater Arts from Mars Hill College. She then earned her Master of Counseling degree from the University of Phoenix in Sacramento, CA, and went on to earn her Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN. Muddy Sneakers’ Board of Directors has named David Rahahę•tih Webb as the organization’s Executive Director. Webb is a nonprofit executive with 26 years of experience in environmental education. His experience includes program development, philanthropy, strategic planning, budget management, capital projects, diverse revenue generation, event planning, and fostering a diverse and equitable positive work environment. Haywood Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint Hospital, announced that Chris Brown has been named Chief Executive Officer. With more than a decade of healthcare industry experience, Brown joins Haywood Regional from Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory where he served previously as Chief Operating Officer and interim CEO where he oversaw the financial performance, strategic planning and day-to-day operations of the facility. He was an integral part of overseeing service line operations and growth projects and collaboration between emergency and laboratory services. Prior to Frye Regional, Brown served as COO at Starr Regional Medical Center in Athens, TN and Etowah, TN, where he oversaw regular operations and implementation of a tele-stroke program and other programs. Brown also was associate administrator at Duke Lifepoint’s Wilson Medical Center in Wilson. He began his career as a radiologic technologist and also is a registered nurse.

Coming Soon

Jami Daniels, owner of The Daniels Group and long-time Asheville entrepreneur, is re-imagining not only her own business model but what a business model could

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look like for the area’s makers and crafters. Named after her late grandfather, Ernest Daniels, Ernest is the first ever co-warehousing facility for the Asheville area. Born out of a need to revamp her 65,000 square foot building on Sweeten Creek Road, formerly Daniels Graphics, Jami landed on the concept of a space for local makers and entrepreneurs who had outgrown their garage, dining room table, or spare bedroom. Ernest is currently prebooking spaces and is on track to have a fully operational facility in early 2023.

Expansions & Grand Openings

Retro Coffee had their soft opening in South Asheville. The shop features coffee drinks, local art, and outdoor seating. They are located at 2619 Sweeten Creek Road in South Asheville. Learn more at RetroCoffee.Square.Site

Western Women’s Business Center

opened a new location in the Asheville Mall. Carolina Small Business Development Fund staff, WWBC Advisory Board Members, and local partners and business resource providers joined in the official opening celebration. The new headquarters of the WWBC will help to provide financial capital and technical assistance to women entrepreneurs in the region. Land of the Sky Association of Realtors has opened its new events facility Hilltop EventCenter located downtown Asheville at 21 Restaurant Court. Hilltop Event Center is available for hosting seminars, classes, or meetings of up to 250 attendees. The space is outfitted with high speed Wi-Fi and stateof-the-art audio and video capabilities. Seating options include theater-style, banquet seating, and classroom tables with individual charging stations at each seat. Rooms can be divided to allow for multiple sessions, and the board room provides both meeting privacy as well as two jumbo screens when remote connections are necessary. The event center also includes a catering kitchen with space for food prep and storage. Brittany Sisk of Asheville Family Photography announced the opening of a storefront studio space in Asheville at 76 Glendale Road. Asheville Family Photography specializes in all things family photography including maternity, birth and newborn, children’s, family, and extended family photography.

Southeastern Sports Medicine &

Orthopedics, a department of Pardee Hospital, is expanding its orthopedic services with the addition of Matthew Wham, M.D. a sports medicine physician and orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Wham trained with Harvard surgeons and helped take care of the New England Patriots football team, and professional soccer players.

Sage Pet Hospital celebrated their opening day in Hendersonville on Oct. 31. Sage is a privately and locally-owned and patient-focused small animal veterinary hospital offering preventive and sick medicine, surgery and dental services, and integrative medicine options. The pet hospital’s veterinarians are Dr Toria McHarg, Dr. Maria Hes, and Dr. Morgan Box.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Hulsey Media has acquired the Discovery Map of Asheville and Hendersonville, NC and Greenville, SC. Discovery Maps produces hand-drawn maps to help orient travelers to top local tourist destinations. Hulsey Media produces a number of local publications including Aging Resources of WNC, Asheville Ale Trail, Healthcare Resources of WNC, Hendersonville Holidays, Hendersonville Magazine, HomeTown Welcome of Asheville/ Hendersonville, The Real Estate Book of Asheville/Hendersonville, Upstate Ale Trail, WNC Business, and WNC Homeowners Resources Guide. The WNC Bridge Foundation has officially joined the WNC Nonprofit Pathways Funders’ collaborative. Since its inception in 2006, Pathways has been a space for WNC funders to work together to support the critical work of the region’s nonprofits. Pathways’ original funding partners were the Community Foundation of WNC, United Way of Asheville Buncombe County, and the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. The WNC Bridge Foundation has joined this list. Each Partner Funder has committed to continuing to bring capacity-building resources to WNC nonprofits utilizing Pathways’ proven mode of meeting each leader and organization where they are in their leadership journey and organizational life cycle.

Anniversaries & Milestones

Michelle Tracz, CPA, CFE, PLLC and her team celebrate the 10th anniversary of their business. A contract controller, accountant, and consultant, Michelle and her team assist business owners with services including accounting, financial reporting, and consulting, and file documentation.

Devil’s Foot Beverage Company

celebrates the fifth anniversary of its first canning day. Since canning the first Classic Ginger Beer five years ago, the local soda company has produced almost 2 million cans distributed to restaurants, shops, breweries, and venues around Western North Carolina. Asheville’s craft soda brews a variety of non-alcoholic beverages from organic ingredients.

Do You Have a Shout-Out?

Go to WNCBusiness.com/ SubmitNews to submit it.

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its November WomanUP Celebration & Awards Ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville. WomanUP is an initiative designed to meet the needs of professional women and strives to build a platform of connecting that enables the dynamic female entrepreneurs and professionals in the region to empower, inspire, and support one another. The list of recipients includes: • Women Entrepreneur, Best in

Business: Laura Wagenknecht, CEO of Mosaic Business Consulting • Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit

Leadership: Teresa Stephens, Vice

President of Affordable Communities,

Givens Communities • Woman Executive of the Year: Carol

Steen, Vice President of Talent and HR,

Biltmore Farms, LLC • Impact Award: Heather Johnson, Principal and Brand Strategist at Kudzu Brands • Rising Star Award: Gwendolyn Dare

Hageman, Founder/CEO of Darë Vegan

Cheese • S uzanne DeFerie Lifetime

Achievement Award: Janet R. Cone,

Director of Athletics and University

Enterprises, UNC Asheville Laura Webb with Webb Investment Services shared her advocacy for women in business. She also talked about what it means to be an entrepreneur and a risk-taker, and announced the Women Entrepreneur, Best in Business award recipient Laura Wagenknecht, CEO of Mosaic Business Consulting. Wagenknecht accepted the award thanking her many supporters and saying that you never know who may end up supporting you in your own business. Charles Frederick of TD Bank announced the recipient of the Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership Teresa Stephens, Vice President of Affordable Communities, Givens Communities, saying that Stephens is a “pioneer of senior affordable housing.” He said that she is working to develop more affordable housing for seniors as well as consistently providing guidance to others within that sector. Stephens accepted the award stating that it is a privilege to work with Givens Communities and that she is genuinely following her passion of serving seniors of all income levels with this work.. Bill Hathaway and Anne McClintic of MAHEC announced the recipient of the Woman Executive of the Year award Carol Steen, Vice President of Talent and HR, Biltmore Farms, LLC, stating that Steen is a connector of people and is addressing barriers for women and BIPOC (Black and Indigenous people of color). Steen accepted her award with gratitude for her supporters as well as her immigrant parents who were an inspiration for her to support others. Laura Sullivan of ID.ology Interiors and Design was the recipient of last year’s Impact Award and shared the importance of recognizing the significant impact that women make in business and in life. Sullivan announced this year’s recipient, Heather Johnson, Principal and Brand Strategist at Kudzu Brands, grew her business by 30 percent in 2022 and has served as a mentor in supporting other women in business. Johnson accepted the award stating that she felt humble to receive it. “All I am doing is serving others,” Johnson said. Dr. A J Grube of Western Carolina University announced the winner of the Rising Star Award Gwendolyn Dare Hageman, Founder/CEO of Darë Vegan Cheese, Grube said that Hageman has taken the opportunity to collaborate with the community by attending roundtable discussions and conferences. Hageman accepted, stating that she is greatly inspired by the many women entrepreneurs in the Asheville area. Jessica Juergens announced the Suzanne DeFerie Lifetime Achievement Award’s recipient Janet R. Cone, Director of Athletics and University Enterprises at UNC Asheville. Juergens said that Cone has “elevated the Bulldogs in every way possible.” Cone accepted this award with gratitude and humility stating her mission is to “inspire people to dream more, to do more, and most importantly – to be more.”